The present invention relates to an apparatus for counting flat objects, especially printed products.
An apparatus of this type is disclosed by EP-A-0 408 490. A conveying device, having a conveyor belt which is driven in circulation, for example, is intended to convey printed products in an overlapping stream in which, as viewed in the conveying direction F, each printed product rests on the printed product respectively preceding it. Arranged underneath the conveyed printed products is a guide means, extending in the conveying direction, for a contact element. The latter is moved to and fro by means of a drive, the speed of the contact element in the conveying direction, at least in one section of the guide means, being greater than the conveying speed, in order to bring the contact element in each case into contact with the rear edge of a printed product. A detector element interacts with the contact element and, in each case, emits a signal to a counter upon contact between the contact element and the relevant rear edge. This apparatus is designed to count, with high reliability, printed products arriving at a system cycle rate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a generic apparatus which is suitable for counting objects arriving in an overlapping formation, in which each object rests on the respectively following object.
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by the provision of an apparatus which comprises a conveying device which is configured to convey the objects resting on it in an overlapping formation, and a guide means extending at least approximately in the conveying direction. A contact element is mounted for movement along the guide means, and a drive is provided to move the contact element cyclically in the conveying direction and in at least one section of the guide means at a greater speed than the conveying speed of the objects. Thus the contact element can be brought into contact with the rear edge of each object which moves past the contact element. A detector element acts to emit a signal to a counter upon contact between the contact element and the object.
The guide means is arranged above the conveying device and is fixed in relation to a reference element which is configured to rest on the overlapping formation from above. The reference element thereby ensures that the guide means and the formation assume a precisely defined mutual position, in order to ensure the reliable interaction between a contact element mounted on the guide means and the rear edge of the objects.